'The O.C.' Star Slams Publication for Sharing 'Most Unflattering Pic Ever'
- - 'The O.C.' Star Slams Publication for Sharing 'Most Unflattering Pic Ever'
Meredith GordonDecember 18, 2025 at 12:30 AM
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Photo by Albert L. Ortega on Getty Images
While most TV and film stars are happy to oblige a fan’s request for a photo or autograph, many celebrities take offense at the intrusion and aggressiveness of paparazzi looking for the perfect shot that makes the star look unattractive, in distress, or just plain human. Stars like Denzel Washington, Helen Mirren, Mark Hamill, and Tom Hanks have all publicly called out photographers for being pushy and aggressive. Now, one of the stars of the hit Fox teen drama The O.C. is clapping back against a publication for publishing a photo the star calls “most unflattering pic of me…ever.”
In a post shared to social media, Tate Donovan, 62, boldly shares a photo taken by paparazzi and published by the Daily Mail in which the actor can be seen riding his bike with his dog Biggie in tow, holding Biggie’s poop bag. The actor is wearing casual sweats and a flannel top, with a menacing scowl on his face.
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Donovan captions the post, “Thanks @dailymail for posting the most unflattering pic of me…ever. At least the AI-generated article was halfway decent…kind of #🧐 #🎄 (Biggie looks happy tho #🐕)”
Fans were quick to come to Donovan’s defense and express “mad respect” for the actor’s brave stance against the less-than-stellar photograph.
“ The doggy bag in your hand is my fave 😂 you and Biggie still look great!!” joked one commenter. Another added, “This photo certainly does not do you justice.”
Referencing the actor’s character on The O.C., Jimmy Cooper, another fan added, “We’re all still into you Mr. Cooper 😂 but for real..”
Echoing the actor’s sentiment, another supporter commented, “Omg. As soon as I saw it I was like damn who took that picture. Hahaha. You are still fabulous.”
Tate Donovan Joins Celebrities Clapping Back at Unflattering Photos
Tate Donovan does indeed still look fabulous, but he joins a growing list of celebrities clapping back at seemingly intentionally unflattering photos of them being shared online. Frankenstein star Jacob Elordi recently confronted paparazzi following him, leading to a tense in-person exchange in which the Australian actor accused the photographer of making his life unlivable. Like Elordi, musicians Kanye West, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, and actor Johnny Depp have all had heated interactions with paparazzi and camera-toting fans who get too close.
Sadly for public figures, including actors and musicians, they have very little control over the quality of photos published on social media. Hopefully Tate Donovan’s bold post will serve as a reminder that celebrities are people, too.
What do you think? Is this photo fair? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 17, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
